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June 2019


Strengthen the central location of the Saar port Saarlouis/Dillingen

Operator invests vigorously – first construction stage completed quickly

More than 30 years after the opening of the Saar port Saarlouis/Dillingen, one of the top ten transshipment inland ports in Germany, extensive inventory investments are required. With the support of the state, the modernisation of the 2.3 km long track system from the freight yard Dillingen to the south quay was started. The first construction stage from the connection boundary to the railway crossing Hafenstraße with the main focus on the Primsbrücke has now been completed. The investment for this: 385,000 euros.

„The strengths of the Saar port, its central location in the heart of Europe and its multi-modality, should be maintained in the future“, said Thomas Schuck, Managing Director of the operator company, Flug-Hafen-Saarland GmbH (fh Saar). „That’s why we are investing heavily – in the rail network and the harbor basin.“  For the upgrading of the rail network, a total of two million euros and further 500,000 euros for the dredging of the harbor basin are estimated, said Schuck.

In addition to technical challenges with regard to the levelling of the track body when replacing wooden sleepers against concrete sleepers, the focus was on nature protection issues, in particular the protection of reptiles in the ballast body. In addition, the sleepers (bridge beams) on the Primsbrücke had to be renewed. Plastic sleepers made of secondary raw materials were installed here, which can also be recycled in a later replacement. Furthermore, these are characterised by a longer lay time.

Moreover, the measure could be completed in due time by close coordination between the executing track construction company, the ecological construction consultancy and the planning and construction engineering office. At the same time, the interferences for the users of the track system were reduced to an absolutely necessary level.

In spring 2020, the renovation work will be continued with the next construction stage.